The invention relates to washing/cleaning devices and in particular to an improved device that is capable of washing debris such as road salt, mud, etc. which has accumulated on the under-side of an automobile or other vehicle, while in the normal courses of travel on roadways featuring this sort of debris scattered on their surfaces.
It has been illustrated and described in prior art and, specifically in U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,037, that there is a problem in the course of normal driving conditions with motor vehicles in particular, at various times of the year and different types of road surfaces, with the accumulation of common substances such as mud and weather related road salt de-icing application in that these materials, which are randomly found on the road surface, are carried simply by the action of the vehicle passing over them, either in a moist or dry form, up and onto the undercarriage of the vehicle and are liberally dispersed onto and into the many convoluted surfaces found on the undercarriage of a motor vehicle. It is also well known that, if allowed to remain in position for extended periods of time, such debris as road salt or mud can and will cause the premature failure of protective coatings applied to the undercarriage parts as well as rapid deterioration of bare or chipped metal surfaces. The corrosive effects of these common materials are well known if not removed in a timely fashion. Not only are large portions of undercarriage sheet metal gradually eaten away through the action of rust, but also important structural members of the vehicle, their attachments and connecting hardware can be virtually destroyed by long-term exposure to elements such as road salt, mud, etc.
The rational for removing accumulations of harmful agents from the undercarriage of a motor vehicle is well documented and is most conveniently done in a professional machine-type, drive through car wash. However, such a treatment is not always readily available, and indeed, in some areas of the country, may not exist. It would be ideal for the owner of a motor vehicle to have a device available at home which would allow the operator the option to readily cleanse the undercarriage of the vehicle with very little effort, good results, and low cost.
It is the object of this invention to provide a device that is capable of delivering a powerful water spray pattern with optional detergent and automatic rinse features, using the readily available home water pressure and a common garden hose connection, which will effectively remove the accumulated road salt, mud, etc. from the undercarriage of the vehicle.